| Categories |
Limit student access to competitive foods; Adopt marketing techniques to promote healthful choices; Nutrition policies and standards; Establish nutrition standards for competitive foods; Make more healthful foods and beverages available |
| Problem Overview |
- 2,859 students in central New York State, south of Syracuse
- 38 percent of students eligible for free and reduced-price school meals
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| Program/Activity Description |
In 1999, the district’s health coordinator participated in the National School Health Coordinator Leadership Institute, a training program sponsored by the American Cancer Society. This training cemented the district’s commitment to a coordinated school health program in which the school and community worked together to help young people avoid risky behaviors and become better learners and higher achievers. The vision was further developed using CDC’s School Health Index as an assessment tool and NASBE’s Fit, Healthy, and Ready to Learn for sample policies.
The key changes and results described above indicate the impact that the coordinated school health program has had on nutrition policies and practices across the district. In addition to district-wide changes, specific schools have implemented their own programs:
Third grade students from one school visit a culinary arts program to observe how meals are planned and prepared. They simulate eating in a fine restaurant, ordering from the menu, taste testing a variety of items, practicing table manners, and while dining, discussing the whole experience.
Another elementary school implemented a student hydration program that provides water bottles to all students. The school also limits snacks of minimal nutritional value, offers only 1% or skim milk, and uses whole-wheat bread for all sandwiches.
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| Program/Activity Outcome |
- In 2001, the board of education approved the district’s first comprehensive nutrition policy. The policy includes provisions in support of nutrition education, a healthy school nutrition environment, staff development on nutrition issues, quality of school meals, parent and community involvement, and school-based screening, counseling, and referral for nutrition-related problems.
- Improvements have been made in the quality of snacks and vending machine fare available in all district buildings. For example, pretzels, trail mix, and granola bars have been substituted for chips. Milk machines with low-fat items will be available to students at the beginning of the 2004-2005 school year.
- Fruit and Veggie Sampling Days are available in all elementary schools and to participants in Club PED programs, a walking club for secondary students who do not participate in other school activities.
- The food service program posts the nutritional value of meals and snacks and provides fresh fruits and veggies for the Wednesday Wellness Wagon offered to elementary students. A section of the cafeteria at the secondary school, named the Health Bar, is reserved for more nutritious fare.
- None of the elementary schools have student vending machines, and most limit student access to high-fat/high-sugar snacks in their buildings, such as limiting ice cream to one day per week. Elementary teachers provide lists of healthier choices for parents to consider when sending snacks to school.
- Students developed a color-code system for identifying healthful and less healthful snacks.
- Students display nutrition-related projects from their junior and senior high health classes in display cases outside the cafeteria.
- A school nurse and a social worker in the secondary building were specially trained to work with students with nutrition-related problems such as eating disorders.
- The District Wellness Team offered weight management programs to staff all year round.
- Cortland Schools believe that improving physical fitness goes hand in hand with a sound nutrition program. On-going programs include Club PED, community walking programs, Jazzercise and yoga classes for staff, family fun nights in the elementary schools, and fitness room facilities for staff and students.
- The district is partnering with the State University of Cortland in a research project funded by the National Institutes of Health to provide an accurate picture of the K-6 population in New York State regarding problems of weight.
- In 2004, the district, in partnership with the Parent Teacher Awareness Group prepared a position paper and PowerPoint presentation on “Improving School Foods and Beverages”.
- The Healthy School Teams in all schools completed their second school report card (conducted every three years) on the district-wide Comprehensive School Health and Wellness Program, using the Mariner Model planning system(www.marinermodel.com). From 2000 to 2003, the district’s overall score on its efforts to improve nutritional choices improved 19 points or 27 percent. The school food services score improved 15 points or 21 percent during the same time period. Efforts to promote physical fitness and wellness improved 17 points or 19 percent.
- Cortland received and Eat Well Play Hard Award from the New York State Department of Health for increasing the consumption of 1% or less milk for low-fat dairy products, increasing fruit and vegetable consumption among students, and increasing developmentally appropriate physical activity
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| Story Highlights |
Keys to Success:
- Vision: Committed to a vision of a coordinated school health program
- : Administrative support from the board of education, superintendent, and principals
- : Partnerships established with community agencies, staff, parents, and students
- : Teamwork in each building and district-wide
- : Baseline data to demonstrate improvements upon repeat assessment
- : Use of mini grants such as the Healthy Heart Coalition
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| Words of Wisdom |
"Nutritional messages throughout the entire school environment must be consistent. Dissonant nutritional messages lead to disregard of the health messages. This means that everything from food service to vending machines to fundraisers must broadcast the same message. The only way this can be achieved is through ongoing teamwork."
— Jeanette Dippo, Health Education and Wellness Coordinator |
| Program Contact |
Jeanette Dippo |